Finchheart's Reassurance
by artistclaw
Summary: Finchkit is a small kit born into BlizzardClan. Her goal is to become the best warrior ever seen in the Clans. However, her dream gets stuck in the way of sticky prophecies. Death lurks in the shadows, along with secret enemies and possible friendships. Will she achieve her dream, or will she fall down into the oblivion she despises? Warriors is owned by Erin Hunter.
1. Allegiances

**_Allegiances_**

**BlizzardClan**

**Leader**\- Blizzardstar, large blue and white she-cat

**Deputy**\- Stonetail, grey tom

**Medicine cat**\- Goldenwing, golden she-cat

**Warriors**

Flamefur, flame coloured she-cat with green eyes

Willowfoot, light brown tabby

Featherflight, tabby she-cat

Stormfeather, grey tabby tom

**Apprentice, Leafpaw**

Riverheart, white she-cat

**Apprentice, Echopaw**

Mistfoot, smoky white she-cat

**Apprentices**

Leafpaw, slim brown she-cat

Echopaw, midnight black tom

**Queens**

Whispermoon, silver she-cat, mother to Finchkit (silver she-kit) and Lightkit (white tom)

**Elders**

Acornfoot, small brown she-cat with amber eyes

Smallfur, white tom

**ThornClan**

**Leader**\- Thornstar, brown tabby tom with blue eyes

**Deputy**\- Brackenpelt, brown tabby with amber eyes

**Medicine cat**\- Leaftail, light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**Warriors**

Shimmerfang, ginger tom

Squirrelsky, brown she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentice, Fogpaw**

Dapplefoot, tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

Sandfur, cream tom with amber eyes

Thistlefur, light brown tabby she-cat

Puddleheart, grey tom

Whitedove, pure white she-cat with unusual purple eyes

**Apprentice, Mistypaw**

Mistwing, grey she-cat with a white underbelly

**Apprentices**

Mistypaw, foggy white she-cat

Fogpaw, black tom with blue eyes

**Queens**

Soulheart, mother to Shadowkit, Emberkit and Fidgetkit

**LeafClan**

**Leader-** Leafstar

**Deputy- **Brackenpelt

**Medicine cat-** Finchheart

**Warriors**

Squirrelsky, brown she-cat with blue eyes

**Apprentice, Fogpaw**

Whitedove, pure white she-cat with unusual purple eyes

Mistwing, grey she-cat with a white underbelly

Sandfur, cream tom with amber eyes

**Apprentices**

Fogpaw, black tom with blue eyes

**Cats not in Clans**

Bluebell, brown she-cat


	2. Prolouge

**_Prologue_**

A small blue and white she-cat anxiously padded around a glittering blue stone. She picked up her pace as her white paws shattered the cold, lifeless stone floor. Moonlight peered in from the roof; it cast a shadow along the back wall but perfectly illuminated the stone. Suddenly, the blue cat stopped. She dropped to her paws in front of the stone and crept forward. Her icy nose pressed against the shimmering object, and she fell into a dream.

"Welcome, Blizzardwing. Ready to receive the nine lives of a leader?" Blizzardwing stepped forward, nodding to the cat who came out of the surrounding mist. Their pelt had the typical shimmer of StarClan cats. Eight more cats made their way into Blizzardwing's vision. She let out a smile as her eyes set upon her mate. He nodded towards her, love and warmth present in his gaze.

A light cream and brown cat stepped forward. "Blizzardwing, I give you a life for endurance. Your Clan will go through hardships and you need to be patient with them." Blizzardwing felt a rush of pain swirl throughout her limbs. Pursuing the pain, she tightened her muscles and got ready for the next life. A small mottled white tom stepped forward. Blizzardwing knew this one would hurt more than the last, but to her surprise, it gave her a warm, calm feeling. It almost felt as if she was a kit again. Being surrounded by the warmth of her parents.

One by one, Blizzardwing received her lives. The last cat to step forward was a large blue and white she-cat, almost identical to the new leader. She rested her head upon Blizzardwing's head.

"Mother…" Blizzardwing trailed off as her mother spoke.

"Blizzardwing, I give you this life for love. Love your Clan; love the cats, use love to help you." A sharp jolt pursued through Blizzardwing, making her feel like her paws were gliding over the moor. Wind chased after her, burning through her pelt. A voice brought her back to reality.

"Blizzardstar! Blizzardstar! Blizzardstar!" The new Clan leader's muzzle showed a large smile, expressing her happiness to have been appointed leader of BlizzardClan. Her mother, Frosttail, cheered the loudest for her daughter. Blizzardstar rushed up to her mother, wrapping her tail around Frosttail's white tail. The clearing around her dissolved into darkness as she woke up beside the moonstone.


	3. Chapter One

**AN;** Hello there! This is the first chapter of my new story, Finchheart's Reassurance! I hope you enjoyed reading the prologue, and feel free to follow, favourite or review my story. OCs are being accepted, however they will only appear as minor characters in further chapters.

I started writing this story in November 2018, so I'm up to chapter twenty or so.

Enjoy!

* * *

**_Chapter one_**

The nursery was warm with excitement. A small silver kit and a white and grey kit scrambled out. _The camp seems bigger than I remember,_ the silver kit thought. Behind the two siblings, a soft grey pelted cat snuggled up in the cosy bracken and moss that lined her nest.

Birds tweeted overhead. The white kit looked up towards the sky.

"I want to be a bird!" He announced. Large footsteps sounded in their ears. A darker grey tom arrived next to the kittens.

"I see you're already as energetic as an apprentice, you certainly keep your parents busy!" Stonetail was his name. A handsome ashy tom, who lead the Clan alongside Blizzardstar.

"I hope you aren't bothering Whispermoon," He added with a stern tone. Whispermoon lifted her head from her nest, and slowly stood up. She elegantly walked out into the clearing where her kits stood.

"I'm awake now," She chuckled. "Finchkit, why don't you go visit the elders? I'm sure they'll love telling you their stories." Finchkit rolled her eyes. She knew it was much more fun here, in the clearing with the birds.

"But I want to go and watch the birds with Lightkit!"

"Yeah!" Lightkit piped up.

"Fine, but you better not get in trouble. Stay inside the camp you two, understand?" But the end of Stonetail's message was not heard, as Finchkit and her brother were already bounding off to spot the birds. Finchkit leaped as high as her tiny paws could take her. _I'm flying!_ With a thud, Finchkit landed on the ground, crushing her dreams of flying.

"Yeah right," Lightkit laughed. "I could jump so much higher than you!" He proceeded to spurt into the air, twisting his paws to get better balance. However, he landed on his paws when he fell towards the earth.

"I doubt that was any higher than me, mouse-brain." Finchkit pointed with her tail to a large rock propped up against a tree. "Let's both jump again, and this time we can scratch the rock with our claws where we jump. Lightkit nodded, his face filled with determination. Suddenly, a bird popped up from a ledge above their heads. The two kits backed up to get a better view of the pesky animal.

A sinister look spread across Lightkit's face. "Let's see if we can catch it! Stonetail will be so proud, he'll make Blizzardstar make us apprentices now!" As much as Finchkit dreamed to be an apprentice of BlizzardClan, she wondered if she would be allowed to catch prey when she's still a kit. Finchkit opened her mouth to tell Lightkit about what she thought, but he was already halfway up the tree trunk. The poor bird was oblivious to the fact Lightkit was fighting to catch his first prey.

"Lightkit, wait!" Finchkit bounced up after her brother, summoning all the strength she had. With a jolt, she dashed next to the white tom-kit. He had pounced onto the bird, which was now fighting to free itself from Lightkit's grip. Finchkit looked away in embarrassment as she heard her brother fall off the ledge, with a dead bird in his grasp.

"I did it! Come look, Finchkit! Father will surely make us apprentices now!" The silver she-kit pawed her way down the tree, then padded towards her brother. The bird had multiple dashes of colour splattered against it's wings. Red, blue, green, even purple!

Stonetail looked up from across the clearing, and sprung over to his kits. Finchkit could feel her face becoming flustered with every second that went past.

"Father, I caught a bird!" Finchkit waited for the wave of anger at Lightkit and her, but to her surprise, he didn't show any anger. Instead, his emotion was more proud, but still disappointed they had got into trouble.

"I didn't know you were going to catch a bird!" He exclaimed. "You'll be apprentices in no time."

* * *

Finchkit sat proudly beside her brother, Lightkit. The silver and white she-kit flicked her tail in happiness as the Clan leader, Blizzardstar, set her small dark blue and white paws against the highrock. Memories of the 'bird incident' as many called it, flashed back to memory. It was only a few moons ago, and Blizzardstar decided they were ready to become apprentices. It was their sixth moon today. The sun shone over BlizzardClan's camp, making Finchkit's fur feel warm. She thought about how much adventuring she would do as an apprentice- patrolling the territory, catching prey, even fighting other clans! Finchkit brightened at the idea of being able to leap into battle; being the fearless silver she-cat, conquering all the clans. However, her thoughts were abruptly cut off as Blizzardstar yowled the words to summon her clan into the clearing.

Lightkit bristled beside his sister as their mother brushed up beside them.

"Look at you, let me clean you up," she said. Whispermoon licked her kits' fur, making sure it lied flat. Finchkit purred at the feeling of her mother's soft pale-grey fur against her.

After the kits had been cleaned up, they padded forward, between their mother. Blizzardstar nodded as all the clan cats had appeared in the clearing.

"Welcome everyone. Today I will be apprenticing two kits as they have reached their sixth moon and are ready to become apprentices." Finchkit silently prayed she would go first, so she could brag to her brother that she was made an apprentice first.

"Lightkit, please step forward."

_Mouse dung! _Thought Finchkit.

"Lightkit, you have reached the age of six moons and you are ready to become an apprentice. Until you have received your warrior name, this apprentice shall be known as Lightpaw." Finchkit watched Lightpaw smile as his new name was announced.

"Featherflight, you have proven yourself to be a loyal and caring warrior. You will be Lightpaw's mentor, I expect you to pass down all you know to him."

Next up was Finchkit. She happily bounded up to the bottom of the highrock as Featherflight and Lightpaw stalked away. The tall platform seemed intimidating to the tiny kit. Finchkit let out a squeal as Blizzardstar's voice boomed overhead.

"Finchkit, you too have reached your sixth moon and you are ready to be apprenticed. Until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Finchpaw."

Lightpaw get his gaze upon his sibling, a look of excitement growing over his face. Finchpaw grinned as she saw her brother smile. The newly named apprentice couldn't keep still. She scuffed the ground as she waited for Blizzardstar to announce the lucky cat who got to be her mentor. Her eyes flickered over the group of surrounding warriors. Each one was tense, hoping they would be chosen to be a mentor. _I hope it's someone nice,_ she thought.

"Willowfoot, you have proven yourself many times over and you are ready for another apprentice. I hope you pass down all your knowledge to Finchpaw." Finchpaw staggered up and touched noses with her new mentor, but Willowfoot was reluctant. She was clearly still grieving about the loss of Rainpaw, her first apprentice who was swept away by last season's floods. She remembered hearing the news of the apprentice's death, heartbroken that the Clan had lost a cat.

"Finchpaw! Lightpaw! Finchpaw! Lightpaw!" The crowd chanted their new names. Finchpaw made a silent vow to herself. _I'm going to be the best apprentice BlizzardClan has! I won't fail to serve my Clan even through the darkest of moons. _Finchpaw finished speaking the words to herself. The Clan was starting to spread out, ready to get back on with their duties. Finchpaw and Lightpaw bounded over to each other. They quickly said words of encouragement to each other, then followed their mentors across the clearing.

"So, Finchpaw. Ready to be an apprentice?" Willowfoot casually said. She studied the light brown warriors' pelt before answering with a sturdy 'yes'. Willowfoot introduced Finchpaw's first task.

"The first thing you'll do is help the elders by looking for ticks," Finchpaw noticed Willowfoot smirking. This was not the sort of task Finchpaw expected on her first day as an apprentice of BlizzardClan.

"You'll need to get some mouse bile from the medicine den first," Willowfoot pointed out. Finchpaw dragged her paws towards the medicine cats' den. Inside, she found a golden furred she-cat hard at work, sorting her herbs. The rustle of leaves behind the busy she-cat told her someone was at the den.

"Hello, Finchpaw. I assume you've come for mouse bile?" She laughed. Finchpaw nodded. The medicine cat turned around, and slid some horrid-smelling mouse bile onto a leaf. Finchpaw wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"I'm Goldenwing, by the way. I'm surprised you haven't come to meet me earlier!" Truth be told, Finchpaw was scared of the medicine den. There were so many unfamiliar items in there. Nursery tales were told to Finchpaw about a few mysterious kits who had poked their heads in. Long story short, one of them ended up eating some poppy seeds. Closing her eyes, she took it to the elders den, where she would complete her first task.

Willowfoot poked her head in the elders' den after Finchpaw had finished applying mouse bile to the last of the ticks.

"I see you've been busy," Willowfoot said. Finchpaw ignored her mentor, wondering what Lightpaw was up to.

Finchpaw finished with the ticks as Goldenwing approached her. The young she-cat talked to Willowfoot, making sure it was loud enough for her apprentice to hear.

"Would you mind if I took Finchpaw out herb collecting with me?" Goldenwing asked. Willowfoot seemed reluctant, but she eventually agreed, noting that it would be fun for her to take a glimpse at the territory.

"Finchpaw, you're going herb collecting with Goldenwing." Willowfoot called. Goldenwing stepped inside the den, leading Finchpaw outside with a flick of her tail. The medicine cat lead the bored apprentice out of the camp, where she scouted out a patch of comfrey.


	4. Chapter Two

**_Chapter two_**

The chilly leaf-fall winds bit through Finchpaw's pelt as the two clanmates went in search for comfrey. She had heard stocks had been running low, and with leaf-bare approaching, it was mandatory they had a fully stocked den. Finchpaw heard the leaves in front of her rustle as Goldenwing popped out.

"Come here, I found a patch of comfrey and I need your help carrying it back to camp," Goldenwing pointed out. Finchpaw quietly stepped through the gap in which the fluffy medicine cat had gone in to. She scooped up a bundle of comfrey in her jaws that Goldenwing had conveniently stuck next to the opening. The distinctive periwinkle flowers that sprouted from the stem bobbed in the wind as Finchpaw carried them. They looked drowsy, almost asleep in the leaf-fall weather.

As the pair of she-cats padded back to camp, Finchpaw heard a noise. She suspected it was just a hunting patrol catching prey, but her instincts told her otherwise. Finchpaw dropped her comfrey at Goldenwing's paws as she bounded off towards the sound. Her ears twitched to find the source of the noise. The territory was quite plentiful with trees and plants, making it hard for the apprentice to navigate her way through the shrubbery.

_I've never explored the territory,_ Finchpaw reminded herself. _What an exciting way to see what's around! Maybe I'll find a badger, or a fox, or maybe a pack of dogs!_ The noise became louder. It sounded like the thump of paws against the sandy ground. She could imagine her Clanmates fighting off a rouge who had blatantly crossed into the Clan territory. Or maybe, they were chasing mice and squirrels around.

A clearing came into Finchpaw's vision. She saw Lightpaw along with Featherflight. Lightpaw leaped, manoeuvring his way through the air to land on his mentor's back. His paws hit the ground as Featherflight scoped out of the way.

"Woah," Finchpaw breathed. Her voice was just loud enough to catch Lightpaw's attention, as he turned around in surprise.

"I thought you were out helping Goldenwing?" Lightpaw asked. Finchpaw nodded, not wanting to explain why she had ran here. However, her brother pressed on.

"What brought you down here?" He commented. Finchpaw thought carefully about her response.

"I thought I heard a noise, and I assumed you were in trouble, or fighting a rouge, or-" Finchpaw stopped when she saw the imapatient flick of Featherflight's tail.

"Whoops, I guess I'll leave you to train then!" Finchpaw whipped around and wandered back into the bushes, trying to find Goldenwing.

Unfortunately, Finchpaw had found herself stuck in a tangle of foliage. It did not help that she had never patrolled the territory either. She pushed her senses to find the camp, too embarrassed to ask Featherflight for help. After a few moments, Finchpaw found herself in the familiar clearing that lead her to camp, surrounded by the luscious orange trees with little leaves, that signified leaf-fall was ending.

As the small silver she-cat stepped into camp, she found Goldenwing carrying multiple bundles of comfrey behind her.

"I see that there was no problem," Goldenwing said flatly. Finchpaw ignored her and headed towards the fresh-kill pile, grabbing a plump mouse between her jaws.

Stonetail strolled up to Finchpaw, his grey and white pelt swaying in the wind. He stopped at the fresh-kill pile, and eyed the mouse Finchpaw was carrying. She could feel her head go red with embarrassment.

"I assume that's for the elders?" He said, narrowing his eyes. Finchpaw bit back her disappointment. _I forgot I had to feed the elders first!_ Reluctantly, she brought the mouse and a small shrew to the elders. The two oldest cats in the Clan were huddled together, trying to shield away the hoarse wind.

"A shrew and a mouse? Is that all you've got?" Acornfoot, the oldest cat complained. She snatched the biggest piece of prey and began nibbling, not even saying a thank you back. Finchpaw dropped the shrew and padded out of the den. Now she could get some prey for herself to enjoy.

Finishing off the last of the scrawny squirrel she had picked, her brother had come to sit down beside her, holding a crow in his jaws.

"Have you done any training yet?" He asked. Finchpaw knew he already knew the answer.

"I was stuck doing stupid herb gathering for Goldenwing. Hopefully I'll be out training tomorrow." Finchpaw complained as the sun was sliding beneath the horizon. Deciding that she was tired enough, Finchpaw stepped inside her new den- the apprentices den- to pick her nest. The last of the Clan was gathering inside the dens for a cold, windy night.

Finchpaw woke up to the soft, white fur of her brother Lightpaw. Had it been a warm, Greenleaf morning, Finchpaw would have jumped out of her nest and joined a patrol. However, this morning was the opposite. The cold, icy wind made Finchpaw shiver, but she knew it was no use staying in her nest until sunhigh. She gathered her strength to push her legs up. Walking out of the den, she observed that the fresh-kill file was running low. The silver apprentice set her blue eyes out around the camp, settling on her mentor. _Maybe I can join a hunting patrol!_

Willowfoot looked up from her conversation with Stonetail. Almost instantly knowing what her apprentice was going to ask, Willowfoot said that Goldenwing wanted her to go help find herbs again.

_Again? I went out yesterday!_ Finchpaw said to herself. _I just wat to be a normal apprentice with normal apprentice duties!_

Finchpaw sighed. "But Willowfoot, I want to go on patrol and hunt!" She pleaded. It seemed as Willowfoot realised that training her apprentice is more valuable, so she finally agreed. Finchpaw nearly bounced up with excitement. She would finally get to see the territory she had dreamed of for so long.

Finchpaw smelt the air. A tang of mouse scent hit her tongue. Instantly, she crouched down, ready to show her mentor the skills she already had. The small silver cat crept towards the mouse, who had not noticed her presence. When she was only a fox length away, Finchpaw pounced, grapping the helpless mouse between her claws. She sent a killing bite as she proudly sat up with the prey in her mouth.

However, Willowfoot was not nearly as pleased as her apprentice was. Finchpaw listened as she told her that her crouch needed work, and she kept her weight unevenly.

"It isn't going to be perfect on your first try," Willowfoot reassured her.

_Yeah right._ Finchpaw pouted.


	5. Chapter Three

**AN; **I hope you guys are interested in this story so far! Leave reviews below for what you think will happen next!

**_Chapter three_**

Finchpaw took the mouse she had caught to the nursery, where the queens and kits would surely be hungry. Barely any prey was found, and that was after sending multiple hunting patrols.

After giving her fresh-kill do the thankful queens, Finchpaw decided to catch up with her brother. She realised that after becoming an apprentice, she had not spent nearly as much time with her brother. _But I guess that's to be expected. _Finchpaw found her brother in the apprentices den, chatting away with the older apprentices. She recognised Leafpaw, the slim brown she-cat, and Echopaw, the midnight-black tom.

"Hello, what are you talking about?" Finchpaw asked, hoping they were at least talking about something interesting.

"Oh, not much. I caught a squirrel today," Lightpaw mentioned.

"And I shared it with him!" Leafpaw concluded.

"Cool! I went to collect some comfrey with Goldenwing," Finchpaw added. She noticed the faces of the other apprentices change. Leafpaw looked as if she was about to laugh, but she held it in. Echopaw on the other hand, started coldly at Leafpaw.

"Shut up, mouse-heart!" Echopaw warned. Lightpaw leaned over to Finchpaw. His shiny white coat brushed against the ground, sending bits of dust into the air.

"Just ignore her; she's probably having an off day." Finchpaw knew her brother cared about how she felt. But all this bragging and snickering was irritating Finchpaw. She did not feel like listening to them brag about their catches, so instead she decided to look for Willowfoot. Finchpaw stood up with a huff and stalked out of the apprentices den. A clean breeze flowed through Finchpaw's pelt. The silver she-cat could still hear her Clanmates whispering about her and the herb collecting.

_What's so bad about collecting herbs?_ Finchpaw wondered. _It's the medicine cats that do the hard work around here, why don't they just show some respect! _Finchpaw stomped off into the ferns surrounding the camp. She contemplated whether is was a good idea to tang along with Goldenwing.

_There's no harm in helping the Clan._ Finchpaw shuffled her paws on the ground. Her gaze settled on the medicine cats den. _What would happen if I were to be a medicine cat?_

_No. I want to be a warrior. I'm training to be a warrior. I won't let those silly apprentices get to me. _Finchpaw realised she didn't know anyone except her brother that she could confide in. Having these thoughts bundled up in her mind wouldn't help her though.

For a few minutes, Finchpaw sat there, thinking about what decision she would choose.

With a bit more confidence, she stood up and strode over to the middle of the clearing. The apprentices den was empty. Finchpaw dragged her paws towards the medicine den, letting the scent of the piled-up herbs fill her nose. With a quick glance around, Finchpaw realised Goldenwing was out of the camp.

_At least I can get a bit of time to think over what I'm about to tell her._ She settled down in a corner of the cramped den. Sunlight poked its way through the branches and leaves that made the structure of the den. Each one was intricately weaved with another.

A while later, the patient apprentice heard the familiar sound of pawsteps from outside the den. Goldenwing stepped inside, clearly confused as to why Finchpaw was in front of her.

"I-I have something to tell you," Finchpaw stammered. Goldenwing put down the herbs she was carrying in her mouth.

"I have to tell you something too," Goldenwing said.

"Then why don't we say it at the same time?" Finchpaw suggested. Goldenwing nodded. Nervousness filled the young she-cat's body. She could feel the pressure building up around her.

"I want to be a medicine cat!" and "I think you're supposed to be a-" were both said at the same time. Goldenwing looked shocked at what Finchpaw had just said.

"I think you're supposed to be a medicine cat," Goldenwing whispered.

"It's a bit complicated," The medicine cat added, giving an embarrassed lick to her chest fur. The two made eye contact for a split second, and Finchpaw could feel her heart about to burst out of her chest.

"I keep seeing a silver cat by the Moonstone- I believe it's a sign, saying you should be a medicine cat." Finchpaw's face filled with mixed emotions; surprise, anger, happiness.

Finchpaw felt happy that she was special; she was unlike the other cats of the Clan. Her mind raced for a response to the information Goldenwing told her.

"Have you told Willowfoot?" Finchpaw stammered. She couldn't possibly think of another response at this very moment. Finchpaw wondered how the older cat would take it, losing another apprentice.

"No, I haven't told her." Goldenwing admitted. "Or Blizzardstar." She added. Finchpaw slowly nodded. She realised there was no turning back. Once she was a medicine cat apprentice, she would not turn back to train to be a warrior.

"If you really want me to be a medicine cat, I'll do it." Finchpaw stated, her voice quivering. Goldenwimg smiled, bowing her head in response.

"I'd be happy to have you as my apprentice." The silver pelted she-cat purred to Goldenwing.

"I have to prove to Echopaw and Leafpaw being a medicine cat isn't a joke." Finchpaw felt a bit more relaxed now. She knew Goldenwing would be a cat she could tell everything she was worried about to. She felt grateful that she now had a friend in this Clan. Of course, Finchpaw realised she wouldn't be able to have fun with her kin as often. Her brother was an apprentice, her mother was a warrior and Stonetail was the deputy.


	6. Chapter Four

**_Chapter four_**

Finchpaw sat quietly in the leader's den. Finchpaw was surprised that Goldenwing had kept all of this to herself; not telling anyone yet. Two cats were visibly nervous, hoping Blizzardstar and their warrior ancestors would accept Finchpaw as a medicine cat apprentice.

"So, what did you want to come to my den for?" The leader asked this question in a subtle tone. It was obvious Blizzardstar suspected what Goldenwing would reply.

The golden medicine cat opened her mouth to speak. "I want Finchpaw to be my apprentice. She shows interest in becoming a medicine cat, and I don't want to hold her back from being what she wants to be. Plus, I've been having dreams of a silver cat- with the same appearance of Finchpaw- at the moonstone. I have a feeling it's supposed to be a sign." Blizzardstar looked thoughtful. Her face showed agreement and doubt.

_Please let her agree!_ Goldenwing could sense the anxiety building up within Finchpaw's body.

"So, you want Finchpaw as your apprentice?" Blizzardstar asked. Goldenwing thought for a moment, hoping she was making the right choice. She turned to Finchpaw, who was nervously rubbing her paws on the ground. Finchpaw nodded her head up to Goldenwing. She felt the presence of her being calm her down a little bit. The gentle smile from Goldenwing's muzzle almost seemed to light the forest ablaze. It gave her a warm feeling inside.

"I do."

Finchpaw looked up at Blizzardstar, her dark blue fur speckled with white dots.

The excitement was growing between the two cats. In a few moments, Finchpaw hoped to be the apprentice of BlizzardClan's medicine cat.

"Finchpaw, are you willing to give up your warrior training and become a medicine cat apprentice?" The young silver cat nodded. _Not as if I had any warrior training,_ she thought.

"Very well then. You shall travel with Goldenwing to the Moonstone tonight as it is the half-moon."

"Thank you, Blizzardstar!" Finchpaw mewed a little bit too happily. Goldenwing saw the pleasure her apprentice was feeling.

"Let's go, Finchpaw. You have a lot to learn." Finchpaw followed her mentor obediently. She noticed Blizzardstar poke her head out of her den, scouting out the clearing for Willowfoot. She hoped with her whole heart that her former mentor would not take this badly.

Finchpaw woke up to the prodding of her side. Goldenwing stood above her, waiting for the silver cat to wake up.

"It's time we head to the moonstone; you'll meet the other medicine cats soon." She stood up, stretching her legs as she walked out of the den. Most of her Clanmates were asleep, or just about to fall asleep. Quietly and carefully, Finchpaw followed her mentor out of the brambles the protected the camp's entrance. The moonstone was located nearby; it would not be much of a trek to get there. The moon hung in the sky, lightly illuminating the world underneath it. All felt calm, but Finchpaw was bubbling up inside.

_I can't wait to meet StarClan!_

When the two cats reached it, she took a glimpse at the awaiting cats. She saw a brown tabby she-cat, who introduced herself as Leaftail, ThornClan's medicine cat.

"Who's this?" Leaftail asked Goldenwing. Finchpaw opened her mouth to introduce herself, but Goldenwing beat her to it.

"This is my new apprentice, Finchpaw. She's decided to take on the role of a medicine cat." The silver apprentice sent a shy smile to the ThornClan cat, hoping to make a few friends that wouldn't judge her for what she did. Leaftail nodded back. The group of cats walked into Mothermouth, which lead to the glistening moonstone.

"Should we start? I have an important ceremony to make." Goldenwing announced. Leaftail nodded, intrigued by the ceremony about to take place.

"Finchpaw, you have chosen the path of a medicine cat. Will you abide by the rules a medicine cat must follow and promise to serve your Clan?" Finchpaw swallowed. Was she ready for such an important job? Her legs shook underneath her, trying to bare the weight of the young cat's body.

_Am I really ready?_

_No! _A voice shot back at her. _Go and hide with your Clanmates in the apprentices den!_

_You are ready,_ another voice soothed. _You'll be fine._

"I will." Finchpaw stuttered.

"Then follow us as we speak to StarClan," Goldenwing added. Finchpaw did as Goldenwing did; lying next to the shimmering stone and pressing her nose to it. The action felt weird, almost familiar. But as far as Finchpaw knew, she hadn't visited the moonstone before.

Instantly, she fell into a pit of darkness, only to be awakened by a starlit moorland.

"Is this StarClan?" Finchpaw whispered, wondering if anyone was nearby. A shimmering cat with almost white fur appeared in front of her.

"Welcome, young one. I see you've chosen the path of a medicine cat." Finchpaw looked up, amazed of what she was seeing.

"Woah, you're from StarClan? What's your name?" The curious apprentice asked. The white cat stifled a laugh, obviously amused by Finchpaw's curiosity.

"I'm Hawkpaw. I was BlizzardClan's medicine cat apprentice before Goldenwing was born. I died when BlizzardClan was struck by Greencough."

Finchpaw solemnly nodded. She realised that this cat- probably the same age as her- was much wiser and important, although she had an apprentice name. Not knowing what to say, Finchpaw just looked around.

"I know you're nervous, Finchpaw. But just remember that when the Blizzard strikes the Thorns, a new Leaf will arise." Then Hawkpaw disappeared. Finchpaw heard the words echo around her. Without warning, the world around her slowly dissolved into darkness.

Finchpaw woke up with a start. She remembered that it was just a dream.

_It seemed so short,_ Finchpaw reflected. She knew her first meeting with StarClan wouldn't be all rainbows and sunshine. However, she did realise she set her expectations a little too high.

"Goldenwing, Hawkpaw told me that-" Goldenwing cuffed Finchpaw around the ears.

"Finchpaw, you aren't supposed to talk about what you dreamed about! If it was really important, you can tell me at camp." Finchpaw nodded in understanding, knowing that it was _definitely_ important.


	7. Chapter Five

**_AN; _**_Hi everyone! Thank you for reading this story up to now! Things are getting interesting... Feel free to follow, favourite and leave a review, they help a lot!_

**_Chapter five_**

Finchpaw followed Goldenwing into the medicine den, itching to tell her about what Hawkpaw had said. They walked past a pile of unsorted herbs; something Finchpaw would do later. Goldenwing sat down in a familiar spot, and Finchpaw followed after. Her silver fur swished in the wind that came through the brambles.

"So, what did you want to tell me?" Goldenwing started. Finchpaw sat up straight.

"Someone called Hawkpaw had spoken to me," Finchpaw said. "She told me that when the blizzard strikes the thorn, a new leaf will arise." Goldenwing sat back, clearly pondering what she had heard.

"Hawkpaw was the apprentice before I was born," Goldenwing remembered. "My mentor was a beautiful she-cat; her name was Smallfire. She had the energy of fire and the skill of any other cat." Finchpaw saw her mentor's eyes glaze over. She was remembering how Smallfire died.

Feeling awkward, Finchpaw leaned over to the pile of herbs she noticed. The bitter tang of them filled Finchpaw's throat. Time seemed to slowly drip past, making the atmosphere feel damp and cold.

Goldenwing straightened her posture. "Anyways, back to our conversation."

"The only 'blizzard' and 'thorn' around here are BlizzardClan and ThornClan," Finchpaw added. "But I don't see how this would be about the Clans."

Goldenwing stood up. "Let's tell Blizzardstar. It's important that she knows about this." Finchpaw stood up and charged forward, catching up with Goldenwing, who was already out in the clearing.

"Wait!" Finchpaw called out. She noticed her brother glanced at her, but she did not have time to talk to him.

Goldenwing turned around, annoyed that Finchpaw had interrupted her. "What is it, Finchpaw?" Finchpaw thought about how if they told Blizzardstar, someone else in the Clan might hear them. On the other paw, it could be unimportant and not worth wasting their leader's time.

"What if someone hears us? Or what if it is unimportant and just adds stress to Blizzardstar?" Finchpaw murmured, loud enough for Goldenwing to hear.

"I'm still telling her." Goldenwing contradicted, leaving Finchpaw feel like it was not enough. "Go sort those herbs I left around," She growled.

Finchpaw staggered back, suddenly unmotivated to sort herbs. Instead, she cast her eyes out around the camp, trying to find Lightpaw. He was sitting by the apprentices' den, with a small vole in his mouth. She padded up to him, wanting to take her mind off her medicine cat duties.

"Hey Lightpaw, we haven't talked in a while," Finchpaw said. The thick furred tom looked up from his vole, which was sitting half-eaten at his paws.

"Yeah, we haven't. Why aren't you in the apprentices den anymore?" Lightpaw asked, although it was likely he already knew the answer. Finchpaw dreaded telling her brother that she would not be training as a warrior alongside him.

"I'm a medicine cat apprentice." Finchpaw whispered. Lightpaw did not seem surprised; he probably suspected it. Finchpaw stiffened.

"So you're not mad?" She asked. Lightpaw looked up at her; he was disappointed, but not mad. His face showed many emotions, except happiness. Finchpaw knew she could not explain why this was so important, it just was. She had longed to be a warrior. One that was brave, kind, helpful, and most of all, ferocious. However, Finchpaw knew that from the bottom of her heart, she could not abandon Goldenwing and her new rank.

As the sun set over the snow-filled camp, Finchpaw longed to go outside and talk to Willowfoot. She knew her former mentor was avoiding her, and Finchpaw wanted to fix that. With all her might, Finchpaw leaped through the snow, making her way to where Willowfoot was sitting.

The trees shielding the camp were overloaded with snow; they could break any moment from now. Finchpaw found Willowfoot chatting with the other warriors. Whispermoon was among them, clearly busy conversing with her friends. As she approached the warrior, Finchpaw heard a large snap above her. Her eyes filled with fear as a branch from a tree had broken off, and was plummeting towards her tiny body. The snow fell from the tree, encasing the apprentice in a burrow of cold white ice. The branch hit the side of a den, and landed on top of Finchpaw. It hit her on the back, knocking Finchpaw to the ground. She let out a yowl of pain. Everything from her belly to her tail ached with such great force, she wondered if she would survive the ordeal. Finchpaw knew something was wrong. Two sleek warriors bounded out of their den, towards the aid of Finchpaw. The young silver she–cat groaned as the Clan leader burst out of her den, Goldenwing close behind.

"Finchpaw, what happened?" Goldenwing asked. Finchpaw tried to sit up, but it made her squeal in pain.

"A branch from a tree fell on me because it was weighed down with snow," Finchpaw explained. "It landed on my back, and now I can't move because I'm in pain!"


	8. Chapter Six

**_Chapter six_**

Cold leaf-bare winds bit through Finchpaw's pelt. She longed to get up to stretch and walk around the camp, but her injury was holding her back. For the past few days, Finchpaw had been curled up in her nest. Her mind was filled with boredom. Her leg ached. Reaching behind, Finchpaw gave her back get a few quick licks. She could feel the pain pursuing up through her body, ready to ignite a flame of agony.

A tuft of golden-yellow fur whizzed past Finchpaw's vision. She watched Goldenwing gather Bindweed from the storage in the back of the den. The light blue petals looked droopy and sad. It had been a while since greenleaf, and Finchpaw knew Bindweed grew best in warmer temperatures. A few sticks landed next to the injured apprentice. Since the accident with the branch, Finchpaw was almost certain her back leg was broken. Goldenwing turned around, carrying a bundle of Bindweed in her mouth. She spit it out on the floor. The medicine cat sat next to Finchpaw and prepared the remedy. She pushed two sticks against Finchpaw's leg. She winced as the discomfort hit her like a storm.

"That hurts!" Finchpaw yelped. She straighted her posture, wanting to observe what her mentor was doing. Goldenwing bent down, and pushed Finchpaw's leg in place, next to the twigs. Another throb sent Finchpaw to turn away.

"I'm nearly done," Goldenwing soothed. "Your leg is broken, but it isn't too hard to heal." With a gentle touch, Goldenwing picked up the Bindweed that was sprawled out of the floor. This time, only a dull ache spread through the apprentice. The herb was being wrapped around Finchpaw's leg. Goldenwing took extra care of the part that was broken.

"You'll have to lift your leg so I can wrap it underneath. Or I can hold it up." With the remaining strength Finchpaw found, she lifted her leg off the ground, enough for the Bindweed to pass under. She felt an unpleasant prickling sensation at her paw.

Finally, Goldenwing's face lit up with delight. "Done." She announced.

She sat up, satisfied with her work. "Finchpaw," She started.

"Yes?" Finchpaw replied.

"You're going to have to rest for a while, I mean a few moons. Then we can try and help you use your leg again." Goldenwing said. A flash of despair hit the apprentice. _I won't be able to leave the den for a while._ Finchpaw knew she would not be climbing trees the next day; her leg had to heal. But the length that it could take was the scary part.

_What happens if I don't heal?_

_What happens if I don't get better?_

Many thoughts flooded through her mind. But she couldn't feel happiness at all. Finchpaw rested her head on the ground. The feel of moss against her face soothed the worried apprentice.

"There's no point thinking about the negatives." Goldenwing pointed out. "They don't help. If you want to get better, think about the positives." Finchpaw gazed upon her mentor. She was sitting with her tail wrapped around her paws.

_She obviously cares for me_, Finchpaw realised. Goldenwing's bright smile made Finchpaw feel a bit hopeful.

_At least I am not training to be a warrior anymore._

Finchpaw's ears perked up when she heard the pawsteps of a cat outside the den. She alerted Goldenwing when she caught the sound of a brush of a cats' tail on the brambles enclosing then Medicine den. Her head perked up, just to see a wisp of light brown fur.

_Willowfoot!_

Goldenwing sensed that the young apprentice wanted to speak to her former mentor, so she hopped up and walked out the entrance, beckoning Willowfoot with a swish of her golden tail. The soft-furred warrior padded inside the den, awkwardly standing above Finchpaw.

"Willowfoot, I'm sorry," Finchpaw stuttered. Willowfoot looked down at her, and then cautiously sat down next to Finchpaw. Her eyes stared down at Finchpaw's broken leg. A hint of grief filled Willowfoot's gaze. "How's Lightpaw doing?" Finchpaw asked.

Willowfoot glanced at the snow-filled camp, her eyes focusing on a point Finchpaw could not see. "He's doing alright." Willowfoot replied. Finchpaw was disappointed she could not go out to talk to him. Lightpaw had really only been Finchpaw's only friend. He supported her when she decided to be a medicine cat.

The crunching of snow nearby told Finchpaw that a patrol had just returned. The smell of fresh-kill pleased Finchpaw. Willowfoot stood up, and quietly exited the den to help the hunting patrol. Tiredness was gripping the young cat, so she rested her head against the soft moss and fell asleep.

Shadows from the nearby trees lengthened, and the sun slowly fell behind the horizon, leaving a silent and dark night. Finchpaw woke with a start, but it was only the leaves rustling that could be heard. Finchpaw glanced around the den, only to realise that her mentor was not there. She pushed away the thought, concluding that she must have went out while she was asleep to get herbs.

_But we are not running out of anything,_ Finchpaw realised. Her eyes scanned the piles. Marigold, Bindweed, Poppy seeds, their stocks were piled full.

_Goldenwing probably went to get some fresh air, _the she-cat thought. However, Finchpaw felt a pang of uneasiness. Her mentor would not leave the whole camp. She must be out in the frost-stricken forest.

Moving carefully so she wouldn't injure her leg, Finchpaw slowly padded out of the Medicine den. She knew Goldenwing wouldn't want her to move, but Finchpaw had three good legs she could put to use. She knew it would not be a good idea to leave the camp by herself. Finchpaw limped towards the Apprentices' den, where she found Lightpaw sleeping peacefully. A silver paw prodded Lightpaw in the side, jerking him awake. His eyes darted around the den, looking for some sort of threat.

"Finchpaw? Why did you wake me up?" He asked, still half asleep.

"Goldenwing is missing, I want to find her but I can't do it myself," Finchpaw said. Her brother stood up, stepping out of the den. Finchpaw followed close behind. The two kin silently slipped through the bramble entrance, until they were in the freezing forest.

"Can you scent Goldenwing?" Finchpaw asked, hoping he could. Finchpaw was disappointed when Lightpaw shook his head.

"We may as well look, even though I can't find a scent trail." Lightpaw whispered. Finchpaw followed her brother through the snow, carefully stepping so no cats could hear them. After a few minutes of walking, Finchpaw could feel her leg start to stiffen. A strong smell made Finchpaw snort in disgust.

"That's ThornClan," Lightpaw stated matter-of-factly. "The border is near, so I'm pretty sure Goldenwing wouldn't have strayed that far." Finchpaw knew her brother was right; why wouldn't he be? She padded alongside him until they reached the edge of the territory. Lightpaw gave his chest fur a lick then sat down. Finchpaw felt relieved that she could finally rest her leg. However, she still hadn't seen Goldenwing anywhere in BlizzardClan's territory.

"We've looked through the whole territory, where would Goldenwing be?" Finchpaw was starting to worry. Anxiety pricked at her paws. What if something bad had happened to her mentor? She sat down next to Lightpaw, whose white fur was dusted with snowflakes.

"It's starting to snow," Lightpaw observed. "We should head back to camp now, so no one knows we left. Goldenwing probably went off to gather herbs in unknown territory or went to the moonstone. Finchpaw rubbed her cold fur against Lightpaw's. They peacefully walked back. The camp walls came into view as the moon hit the highest point.


	9. Chapter Seven

**_Chapter seven_**

Finchpaw woke up with a start. The fresh blue skies above the camp were refreshing. But a sour tang in the air made Finchpaw feel uneasy. _Something isn't right_… Finchpaw noticed Goldenwing wasn't back at camp yet. Her stomach dropped.

_Where could she be?_ Staying hopeful, Finchpaw explored the clearing in the camp. Her Clanmates were all busy, performing their daily duties. She spotted Lightpaw across the camp, sitting with Leafpaw and Echopaw. Finchpaw turned away. She didn't want to spend time with the bratty apprentices.

Suddenly, pawsteps bombarded the camp. Yowls of panic broke out as the dawn border patrol burst into camp. Multiple cats rushed through the bramble entrance, panting and glancing around the camp. They scrambled to Blizzardstar's den, clearly ready to deliver some urgent news. A spark of panic flared in Finchpaw's heart. The anxious apprentice stepped in closer to overhear what they would say.

Her father rushed to the front of the group. His paws slammed the ground with every step taken.

"Blizzardstar!" Stonetail shouted. "Goldenwing is dead!"

Shock surged through Finchpaw. Her heart thumped as everything fell silent. The world seemed to crumble at her paws. The beginnings of tears started to flow at the corner of Finchpaw's eyes. She blinked, hoping it was just a bad dream. Hoping StarClan wouldn't punish her for being injured.

_It can't be! She can't be dead!_

Blizzardstar rushed out of her den, towards Stonetail and a ginger she-cat, who she recognised as Flamefur. Flamefur dipped her head as Blizzardstar approached her.

"We found Goldenwing's body on the ThornClan border. I scented ThornClan scent on her." Finchpaw tried to hold back tears as she spiralled into the Medicine den. She was BlizzardClan's only medicine cat now.

_But I have not even received my full name yet!_ Finchpaw realised. Almost on cue, Lightpaw padded into the den, and curled up next to Finchpaw. She pressed her muzzle into her brother's soft white fur.

"I know you're sad," Lightpaw whispered. "But Clan life must go on." Finchpaw nodded in understanding. She knew her next task would be to go to the Moonstone and receive her name.

The moonlight was shining right down on the Moonstone as Finchpaw noticed Leaftail standing at the stony entrance to Mothermouth. Leaftail had a new brown tabby tom next to her. He looked small, but powerful. His fur was spiraled with darker tabby patterns.

"Where's Goldenwing?" Leaftail prompted. Finchpaw growled. Of course, Leaftail would know where Goldenwing was.

"She's _dead._ She was killed by a ThornClan cat." Finchpaw pouted, as she knew her mentor would not guide her anymore. Leaftail blinked in surprise. Finchpaw realised she probably did not know about the Medicine cat's death.

"I'm truly sorry for BlizzardClan's loss. I didn't know this had happened." Leaftail said. The young apprentice next to her flinched. _Did he know about it?_

The three Clan cats had entered Mothermouth, where the Moonstone stood as shiny as ever. Finchpaw sat down next to it, her silver fur brushing the freezing stone. Leaftail guided her apprentice to the powerful stone, which gave the Clan cats contact with StarClan. She waited for Leaftail to perform the ceremony for her apprentice. _Bluepaw._ Finchpaw pondered his parent's choice of name. There was nothing blue about the tom's appearance. _Maybe it's his personality_, Finchpaw laughed.

At last, Finchpaw, Leaftail, and Bluepaw touched their noses to the Moonstone. Finchpaw felt her surroundings turn into mist as they disappeared from reality. She fell into a dream.

A starry forest had appeared in front of Finchpaw's eyes. She was pleased to see Goldenwing come out of the darkness before her. Finchpaw leaped towards the sparkling StarClan cat, wrapping her tail around her.

"Finchpaw, I'm sorry that I was never there to watch you become a full Medicine cat. But now I can, and I will grant you your full Medicine cat name."

Finchpaw's face was overcome with emotions. _Am I ready to take on the full role of Medicine cat?_ She barely knew anything about herbs, the medicine cat code, or the way she could help the Clan! A flutter of anxiety welled at Finchpaw's paws. However, she knew she had to be strong. Finchpaw puffed her chest out, ready to become a full medicine cat.

"Don't worry, young one. You know enough to help your Clan for many seasons to come." Finchpaw looked up and smiled to Goldenwing, who was sitting on the star-coated grass.

"I, Goldenwing, former medicine cat of BlizzardClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the way of a medicine cat, and with your help, she will serve her Clan for many moons. Finchpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, stand apart from Clan rivalry, and protect all cats equally at the cost of your life?" Finchpaw's eyes glimmered as she licked her fur embarrassingly.

"I do." Finchpaw stuttered. She was overwhelmed with happiness, as the moment had finally come. She hoped all of StarClan was watching this moment, even if the apprentice couldn't see them.

"Then, by the power of StarClan I grant you your full name as a medicine cat. From now on, you shall be known as Finchheart. StarClan honours your caring nature and determination."

Finchheart broke out a smile. She finally understood that she was ready to be a Medicine cat. The newly named she-cat licked Goldenwing's shoulder in response to her resting her golden muzzle on Finchheart's head. Goldenwing's eyes focused on Finchheart's silver fur.

"I'm proud of you, Finchheart. I know you will serve your Clan well."

The doubts that clouded Finchheart's passion were finally gone. Although Finchheart knew she wasn't perfect, she was the best she could be.

Goldenwing's fur was barely visible against the mist as she said goodbye. Finchheart was plunged back into darkness once again.


	10. Chapter Eight

**_Chapter eight_**

Finchheart entered the BlizzardClan camp just as it was sun-high. Piles of snow were slowly melting away at the edges of the camp. She noticed how the ferns which closed off the clearing from the forest were damp and starting to droop. She saw Lightpaw resting in a patch of sun. Newleaf was on its way. Finchheart guided her paws towards Lightpaw.

"Hello, Finchpaw." He said as he lifted his head off the warm rock. Lightpaw's white fur was damp; maybe he had been in the melting snow while training.

"It's Finch_heart_ now," The medicine cat teased. Lightpaw sat up and brushed his tail against Finchheart's soft silver fur.

"Congratulations." Lightpaw said. "I did my warrior assessment this morning, and I passed, so I'll be made a warrior soon." Finchheart brightened at the thought of her brother being a warrior; it was exciting not just for her brother, but herself too. Then, they could both have their full names.

Finding nothing more to say, Finchheart stalked towards the Medicine den and began sorting the messy herbs. She thought to herself how lucky BlizzardClan was to not have had any sicknesses during Leaf-bare. Then she realised that no new kits had been born for a while; BlizzardClan was growing full of warriors, but no apprentices. Her paws worked at the leaves of herbs below. A warm breeze cut through the Medicine den and messed up the stacks she had made. Frustrated, Finchheart stepped outside the den and into the centre of camp. The breeze had turned into a harsh wind, signalling Leaf-bare was not done just yet.

Finchheart tried to flatten her fur but the wind ruffled it again. She thought about how a ThornClan cat had murdered Goldenwing. Finchheart was not going to let them get away with that. Although she was not a warrior, Finchheart still wanted to plot a plan. However, that had to wait, because Blizzardstar had jumped onto the Highrock, signalling the Clan to join her with a yowl. The Medicine cat saw Lightpaw leap out of the apprentice's den, towards the gathering Clan. Finchheart noticed Moonwhisper step out of the warrior's den, her eyes gleaming as she watched her son sit beneath the Highrock. Finchheart bounded up to sit near her mother, who was grinning at Lightpaw.

Blizzardstar whisked her tail over her paws as the last of the Clan gathered. Lightpaw was sitting amongst the Clan, waiting for the next moment.

"Today I have gathered you here for an important ceremony in an apprentice's life. Lightpaw, please step forward." The small white and grey apprentice padded forward, before glancing back at his mother. Finchheart smiled. She knew that if she were still an apprentice, she would be overjoyed to receive her warrior name.

Blizzardstar leaped down the Highrock to meet Lightpaw. Her dark blue and white fur waved in the wind, which was s

"I, Blizzardstar, leader of BlizzardClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." Lightpaw glanced up at the leader, who looked down at him.

"Lightpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Lightpaw proudly flicked his tail before saying, "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Lightpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Lightwater. StarClan honors your courage and bravery and we welcome you as a full warrior of BlizzardClan."

Lightwater touched his muzzle to Blizzardstar's shoulder, and then bounced off to Finchheart.

"Are you proud of me?" He asked, laughing. Finchheart nodded, knowing that Lightwater was proud of himself too.


	11. Chapter Nine

**_Chapter nine_**

The sun dipped behind the treetops as Finchheart settled into her nest. She was exhausted, not just physically, but mentally too. She recalled the events that happened in the past few sunrises. Goldenwing's death, her becoming the new medicine cat, and Lightwater's warrior ceremony. Sleep started to pull Finchheart into its depths. The silver she-cat rested her head against the soft moss, and soon fell asleep to the beat of her heart.

Light started to glimmer around her eyes. The tiredness that she had fell asleep with seemed to have disappeared. Instead, she felt light, refreshed and ready for action. With a slow blink, she found herself in a foggy clearing, lightly illuminated by the moonlight. _This is StarClan_'_s hunting grounds_.

Finchheart looked around. The only things she observed were foggy silhouettes that masked the beauty of the area. Thick, wet mud stuck to her paw pads. It was almost as the area had been flooded, leaving the dirt full of water and the trees nourished.

"Hello?" Finchheart whispered, her breath warming her soft pelt.

Suddenly, a shadow jerked behind her. Finchheart shot her head back, trying to glimpse the shadow amongst the mist. However, it had disappeared before she could set her eyes on it.

Whispers started to flood the clearing. "Beware the blizzard that strikes the thorn." _What does that mean?_

Finchheart closed her eyes, trying to wake herself up from this dream. However, the more and more she tried, the louder the whispers were. It pained her, not being able to escape the terror that she was witnessing. Although she knew it was just a dream, it seemed as real as the real world. She remembered the prophecy that she received as an apprentice.

"When the blizzard strikes the thorn, a new leaf will arise."

_Could this be a warning?_ Finchheart thought. The two phrases had similar words, but one was much more dreadful than the other.

Nearly as if it was on cue, the frightened voices stopped. Finchheart realised they understood; that Finchheart knew it was a warning of times to come. There were no more terrified mews from the fog. But anxiety and thoughtfulness bubbled up from Finchheart's throat. _If it was a warning, what would come next?_ The thought troubled the medicine cat. She knew it wasn't in her power to prevent things from happening, even if she had no idea what it was. However her heart longed to save whatever would be affected from its impending doom.

Finchheart could not bear it anymore. With a cry of helplessness, she shut her eyes and hoped reality would visit her once again. The dream she received was something she would never forget. Finally, she dropped into oblivion and found the world re-appearing around her. The moss under her felt cosy and warm in comparison to the cold and damp clearing she dreamt of. The stiffened as a breeze ruffled her pelt. Finchheart brought a paw up to shield her eyes from the incoming light. The camp was just as it was the day before.

Three warriors straggled out of the warrior's den, towards the fresh-kill pile. They each took a piece of prey, and then sat in a small patch of sunlight. New-leaf had finally arrived. The camp, which she knew as home, was blooming with flowers. The beautiful sun was shining down into the camp.

With a big stretch, the medicine cat made her way out of her den. Finchheart remembered Lightwater had to keep a silent vigil as his first day of being a warrior. She decided to get up and check on him, to make sure he was alright. The young she-cat padded towards the camp entrance, which was surrounded by brambles for protection. When she got there, he was sleeping, his head on his paws. Finchheart stifled a laugh. She prodded him with a paw until her brother woke up. He looked drowsy, as if he just fell asleep.

"Had a nice sleep?" Finchheart laughed. Lightwater looked up, and nodded his head, embarrassingly.

"You can talk now," Finchheart meowed. "Your vigil is over. How about you join a hunting patrol and restock the fresh-kill pile?" Lightwater stood up, and beckoned Finchheart to follow him.

"Okay, I'll see if there's if there's any patrols to join." Finchheart watched Lightwater creep into the clearing. The clear blue sky was spotted with just one cloud. Finchheart walked up to her brother.

"I think I'll come with you, and see if I can find any useful herbs on the way. I might catch something too," Finchheart said. She saw her brother smirk.

"As if, you've never even had training!" He replied. Finchheart knew he was joking about with her. She padded to the medicine den, to check their stockpiles.

_We will need more Marigold and Catmint,_ Finchheart said to herself. _But Catmint is in ThornClan's territory,_ she remembered. She pictured the herbs she needed; right over the ThornClan border. Finchheart could easily sneak over and nip some of their Catmint. Content with her plan, she found Lightwater with Flamefur, Stonetail, and another warrior she knew as Riverheart. The four cats walked out of the camp's entrance, Finchheart following close behind.

The medicine cat walked in the opposite direction as the hunting patrol. She silently padded towards the ThornClan border, hoping a patrol would not see her. The bushy undergrowth seemed rich and plentiful. She breathed in the fresh earthy scent that she ever so much enjoyed.

At last, Finchheart spotted the patch of Catmint; it was a few fox lengths away from where she was.

Carefully, Finchheart stepped over the border. The smell of ThornClan's markings overwhelmed her; a patrol must have just passed. The Catmint was just a few steps away. Finchheart burst through the bushes, but she shrunk to the ground, hearing the sound she made. Slowly, the medicine cat cut the stalks of the herb with her teeth. Being careful not to accidentally swallow any, Finchheart piled the stalks in front of her.

Satisfied with her bunch, she picked them up in her jaw and padded through the bushes. She was nearly over the border, but a loud noise alarmed her. Finchheart dropped the herbs as a brown tabby tom leaped out from the bushes, landing on Finchheart's back. The she-cat screeched, flipping around and unsheathing her claws. The pounding of pawsteps told Finchheart she wasn't alone. In a few heartbeats, Finchheart heard Lightwater barge through the bushes behind her to her aid. Relieved as she was, the brown tabby was viscous and ready to fight. Finchheart feared for her brother. The white and gray tom pounced upon the attacking tabby. The ThornClan cat held down Lightwater as helplessness surged through Finchheart.

"Finchheart! Run!" Lightwater pleaded. However Finchheart's paws were cemented to the ground. She did not want to leave her brother alone in a battle; even if she knew he could win. Throwing the pile of Catmint away, she leaped in to help her kin.

"I'm not leaving you, Lightwater!" Finchheart growled as she raced up to swipe her claws along the tabby's brown pelt. Although she hadn't been trained in fighting, Finchheart would still help as much as she could. The brown tabby fell limp below Lightwater's paws. Finchheart breathed a sigh of relief. She noticed Lightwater's expression turn to triumph. _I can return to BlizzardClan with the herbs now._ But with a great force, the ThornClan attacker surged upward, knocking Lightwater to the ground. Fear grew over his body. Finchheart screamed in panic as she saw a trail of blood at her brother's throat.

"How… could you?" Finchheart meowed in shock. Two ThornClan warriors, presumably the attacker's friends, burst out beside the brown tabby.

"Brackenpelt! What happened?" Finchheart's mind swirled in agony as she stumbled towards her brother. His white fur was stained red from his blood. Brackenpelt stood in front of Lightwater's body, staring in anger at Finchheart.

"You stole herbs." The tone coming from Brackenpelt's voice sent a spike of terror down Finchheart's spine. But disappointment welled in her paws. _If I didn't go to take the herbs from here, this wouldn't have happened!_

No reply from Finchheart prompted Brackenpelt to speak again. "And this is what thieves suffer." He paused. "You're just like the other filthy medicine cat. Came to _steal_ herbs, so she got punished." A glint of blood dropped off of his teeth. Below, Lightwater's body was surrounded by little pools of blood. Each one seemed to carry a memory that Finchheart shared with him.

"And why didn't you kill me!" Finchheart let her anger out on that one sentence. She silently told StarClan she would give anything to take Lightwater's place.

Brackenpelt didn't reply. He turned around to face the pile of herbs Finchheart dropped. With a swift leap, he crushed the stalks with his paws. Tears welled up at the side of Finchheart's eyes.

"Lightwater…" Finchheart's voice trailed off as she cried in grief for her brother. _He had only just become a warrior!_ Finchheart looked up, as the three ThornClan warriors padded away, not a look of regret in their eyes. Her brother's blue eyes were glazed over. The medicine cat stood up, and pulled Lightwater by the scruff, towards BlizzardClan's camp, where she would break the terrible news.


End file.
